SH2-containing inositol 5-phosphatase (SHIP 1), selectively hydrolyzes the 5-phosphate from inositol 1,3,4,5-tetraphosphate (IP4) and phosphatalidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate (PIPS). U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,903 discloses that SHIP 1 is an enzyme regulator of signaling pathways that control gene expression, cell proliferation, differentiation, activation, and metabolism, particularly of the Ras and phospholipid signaling pathways. SHIP 1 plays an important role in cytokine and immune receptor signal tansduction. SHIP 1 disrupted (SHIP 1−/−) mice exhibit a myeloproliferative phenotype characterized by overproduction of granulocytes and macrophages1. SHIP 1−/− mast cells are more prone to IgE and Steel factor induced degranulation, while SHIP 1−/− B cells are resistant to negative regulation by Fc RIIB. SHIP 1 is also involved in the pathogenesis of chronic myelogenous leukemia2.
Compounds that specifically modulate the activity of SHIP 1 would be useful in the treatment of cell proliferation, hematopoietic and immune disorders, as well as for manipulating SHIP 1 mediated pathways during investigatory and drug discovery testing. To date, no structure of a small molecule SHIP 1 specific modulator has been disclosed.
A sesquiterpene compound termed pelorol may be obtained from various marine sponge species, including Petrosaspongia metachromia and Dactylospongia elegans. Kwak et al. and Goclik et al. each disclosed the structure of pelorol and its extraction from different marine sponges.4,5 Pelorol was reported as having weak antitrypanosomal and antiplasmodial effects5. The precise structure of pelorol is as follows, with Me representing a methyl group and relative configuration of chiral atoms (C-5,8,9 and 10) shown.

Some reduced and substituted chrysene derivatives similar to pelorol and having the characteristic gem substituted non-aromatic ring of pelorol are known as intermediates or derivatives in the preparation of various polycyclic polyprenols found in shale6-12, in the preparation of taxodione13, and in the compound 1,2,3,4,4a,4b,5,6,10b,11,12,12a-dodecahydro-1,1-dimethyl-chrysene14. None of these chrysene derivatives are known to have biological activity.